Virbhadra may resign from Lok Sabha in Jan

Though the CM was told that he could retain his membership of the Lok Sabha for up to six months, he has received legal advice to the contrary, said sources

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who is also a sitting Member of the Parliament from Mandi besides having been elected to the state Assembly, may resign from the Lok Sabha early next month.

According to sources, though the chief minister was informed by the returning officer at Shimla (rural) — Virbhadra's Assembly seat — that he could retain his membership of the Lok Sabha for up to six months, he has received legal advice to the contrary.

Under the Prohibition of Simultaneous Membership Rules-1950, the President has amended the rules, which now states that any person holding simultaneous membership of two elected Houses is required to resign, from one of them, within 14 days of notification of his election.

"The period at the expiration of which the seat in Parliament of a person who is chosen a member both of Parliament and of a House of Legislature of a State specified in the First Schedule to the Constitution of India shall become vacant, unless he has previously resigned his seat in the Legislature of such State, shall be fourteen days from the date of publication in the Gazette of India or in the Official Gazette of the State, whichever is later, of the declaration that he has been so chosen," the rule reads. "Since the notification on completion of the election process was issued on December 22, the effective period of fourteen days will end in the first week of the January," said a senior official.

Reports said that the chief minister's office has now asked the state Election Department to make the position clear on Virbhadra's effective period for quitting the Lok Sabha seat.

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